Former Director-General of Police (DGP), Uttar Pradesh, Dr Vikram Singh lashed out at former Chief Minister of UP Akhilesh Yadav for seeking withdrawal of cases against terrorists involved in bomb blasts in Varanasi, Gorakhpur and Ahmedabad. Singh, who was closely connected to the cases, said, “You [Akhilesh Yadav] are answerable to the fact that despite of being witness to so much destruction and death, you killed your soul and sought withdrawal of cases against terrorists involved in bomb blasts [at multiple places over the years].”
वाराणसी ब्लास्ट पर पूर्व DGP विक्रम सिंह ने कहा- “मुक़दमे वापस लेने के लिए अखिलेश यादव को जवाब देना होगा, उस वक़्त हमारे ऊपर भी लादे गए थे मुक़दमे”#DeshNahinJhukneDenge #VoteStrikeOnTerror @AmanChopra_ @vikramsingh112 pic.twitter.com/wzRJdta8yV
— News18 India (@News18India) February 22, 2022
He added, “The triple blast that killed 18, another blast in Varanasi that killed 12, the Ahmedabad blasts, how can you ignore their involvement?” Singh was speaking in a debate on News18 India’s show ‘Desh Nahi Jhukne Dunga’. He further said, “Not only Akhilesh Yadav sought withdrawal of cases, but he also filed a murder case against me, then-DG Brijlal and 40 STF commandos over the death of terrorist Khalid Mujahid who died of heatstroke. None of us was present at the scene when he died, but we were dragged in the case.”
Singh added, “When it comes to the country, my life, Brijlal’s life or the lives of STF commandos do not matter. We will happily sacrifice ourselves for the country. However, it was unfair to drag us in the case of Mujahid’s death though everyone knew he died of heatstroke.”
‘SP Govt sought withdrawal of cases against terrorists’: PM Modi
During the Hardoi rally on February 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said, “Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh sought to withdraw cases against several terrorists.” He said when terrorism spreads its roots and attacks happen in the country, it is the poor and middle class that bears the maximum damage. Normal life, businesses and tourism come to a standstill after a terrorist attack. “From Mumbai to Delhi, Jaipur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Ludhiana, Agartala, Imphal and many other cities have faced such attacks, and many civilians were killed,” he added.
PM Modi recalled how Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts happened during his tenure as CM of Gujarat. He said, “On the same day, I had vowed that my government would find these terrorists from the underworld and punish them. You have seen, just a few days ago, the culprits of the Ahmedabad bomb blast have been punished.”
जब मैं गुजरात का मुख्यमंत्री था, तो उस दौरान अमदाबाद में भी सीरियल बम धमाके हुए थे। मैं उस दिन को कभी भूल नहीं सकता।
— BJP (@BJP4India) February 20, 2022
उसी दिन मैंने संकल्प लिया था कि मेरी सरकार इन आतंकवादियों को पाताल से भी खोजकर सजा देगी।
– पीएम @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/gQbla1jgnP
He added, “In 2006, there was a bomb blast in Kashi. There was also a blast in the Sankat Mochan temple. The Cantt railway station there was also attacked. When the Samajwadi Party government came to power again in 2013, they decided to withdraw the cases against the accused named Shamim Ahmed. In 2007, there were bomb blasts in the court premises of Lucknow, Ayodhya. In 2013, the Samajwadi government withdrew the case against a terrorist named Tariq Kazmi.”
2006 में काशी में बम धमाका हुआ था।
— BJP (@BJP4India) February 20, 2022
संकट मोचन मंदिर में भी धमाका किया गया था।
वहां के कैंट रेलवे स्टेशन पर भी हमला किया गया था।
जब 2013 में समाजवादी पार्टी की सरकार फिर से सत्ता में आई,
तो इन लोगों ने शमीम अहमद नाम के आरोपी पर चल रहे मुकदमों को वापस लेने का फैसला ले लिया था। pic.twitter.com/gHJtA08dpf
2007 में लखनऊ, अयोध्या के कोर्ट परिसर में बम धमाके हुए थे।
— BJP (@BJP4India) February 20, 2022
2013 में समाजवादी सरकार ने तारिक काजमी नाम के आतंकी से मुकदमा वापस ले लिया था।
लेकिन इस मामले में भी अदालत ने समाजवादी सरकार की साजिश नहीं चलने दी और उस आतंकी को आजीवन कारावास की सजा सुनाई।
– पीएम @narendramodi
Taking a jibe at Samajwadi Party’s political symbol cycle, PM Modi said, “The bombs were placed on cycles during Gujarat (Ahmedabad) bomb blasts. I wonder why they chose cycles.”
गुजरात बम धमाकों में आतंकियों ने सपा के चुनाव चिन्ह ‘साइकिल’ पर बम रखे थे
— News24 (@news24tvchannel) February 20, 2022
मैं हैरान हूं ‘आतंकियों’ ने साइकिल को क्यों पसंद किया : PM @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/gqFCz1KikT
He said the court did not allow the government to take back the cases and sentenced the terrorists to life imprisonment. “Similarly, in 14 cases of terrorist attacks in UP, the Samajwadi government had given orders to withdraw the cases from many terrorists,” PM Modi added.
ऐसे ही यूपी में एक दो नहीं बल्कि आतंकी हमलों के 14 मुकदमों में समाजवादी सरकार ने बहुत सारे आतंकवादियों से मुकदमे वापस लेने का फरमान सुना दिया था।
— BJP (@BJP4India) February 20, 2022
ये लोग विस्फोट कर रहे थे, धमाके कर रहे थे और समाजवादी पार्टी सरकार इन आतंकवादियों पर मुकदमा तक नहीं चलने दे रही थी।
– पीएम मोदी pic.twitter.com/7kEgyFeIsQ
CM Yogi had lashed out at SP during interview
Earlier, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also lashed out at Samajwadi Party during an interview with ANI for seeking withdrawal of cases against terrorists. He said, “When Yadav’s government came to power in 2012, the first thing they did was to withdraw court cases against those criminals and terrorists who had initiated attacks on Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, CRPF camp in Rampur and courts in Varanasi, Ayodhya and Lucknow. I would like to thank Allahabad High Court for stopping them from withdrawing the case.”
Recently, Ahmedabad Special Court had sentenced 38 accused to the death penalty in Ahmedabad serial blasts of 2008. Speaking on the matter, CM Yogi said, “Out of 38 convicted in the serial blast case, eight were from Uttar Pradesh. One of them is the son of the Samajwadi Party’s leader. I would like to ask Akhilesh Yadav to explain the matter. The public will answer those who are supporting terrorists.”
The case of Khalid Mujahid
In 2013, Khalid Mujahid, a terrorist accused of multiple bomb blasts, died in police custody. As per reports, he was rushed to the hospital by jail authorities on May 18, 2013, where he was declared dead. A case was registered against then-DGP Vikram Singh, ADG Brijlal, and 42 police officers who were involved in his arrest based on the complaint of his uncle Zahir Alam Falahi.
Khalid and his associate Tariq Qasmi were arrested on December 20, 2007, for their alleged involvement in Gorakhpur serial blast case. STF had recovered a large cache of explosives from their possession. Though Khalid had died in 2013, the case against Qasmi continued. Qasmi, who was a Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI) operative, was sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2020. He was also booked and convicted in Lucknow and Faizabad court blast cases.
‘Rather than securing the society, SP provided political patronage to terrorism accused’ – BJP National Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia
Speaking to OpIndia, BJP National Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, “Rather than securing the society and ensuring law and order Samajwadi Party wanted to protect and provide political patronage to terrorism accused persons for the sake of petty vote bank politics. Notably, the Allahabad High Court reprimanded Samajwadi Party and remarked ‘Will you be giving Padma Vibhushan to the Terrorism accused’.”
Akhilesh Yadav needs to introspect whether he is with nation or with terrorists. pic.twitter.com/3K8NBKAtz4
— Gaurav Bhatia गौरव भाटिया 🇮🇳 (@gauravbh) February 23, 2022
During a debate on Republic TV, he said, “I told Akhilesh Yadav at that time withdrawing of cases was not right. When the Muzaffarnagar riots happened a GO (Government Order) was issued that the compensation would be given only to Muslim families. At that time Supreme Court reprimanded Akhilesh Yadav and he had to withdraw the order. This was the kind of appeasement he was indulged in. What Narendra Modi Ji has today said is something Akhilesh Yadav needs to retrospect that ‘Are you with the nation or with terrorists’ because you appease the people of a particular religion.”
‘Not just SP but Congress stands with terrorists too’ – BJP UP State Spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi
Speaking to OpIndia, State Spokesperson of BJP, Rakesh Tripathi outed Samajwadi Party and Congress for direct or indirect support for terrorists. He said, “Samajwadi Party can stoop to any level in the name of appeasement. If they can take the name of Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel together it can be assumed that they can stand with the terrorists and rioters. If you remember, Mohammad Najeer, the accused of the Muzaffarnagar riots, was brought to CM house via government plane. It is not something new for SP to stand with the terrorists and rioters.”
He added, “SP is not the only party that does appeasement for vote bank. Congress has indulged in similar practices. Congress leader Salman Khurshid had said Sonia Gandhi cried after seeing the photographs of terrorists killed in the Batla House encounter. They tried to stop the death penalty of Afzal Guru and Yakub Menon. The opposition stands with the terrorists for appeasement.”
‘How can govt decide who is terrorist’ Allahabad High Court
In 2012, when Akhilesh Yadav led government tried to withdraw cases against the terror accused, Allahabad High Court had quashed the application and questioned how the state government could decide who was a terrorist and who was not. The court said, “How can the government decide who is a terrorist? Is the government encouraging terrorism by taking steps to withdraw cases against accused persons? Today you are withdrawing cases…tomorrow you will confer Padma Bhushan on them.” Notably, SP had said in its manifesto that they would take back cases against “innocent youth” lodged in jails.
Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections
The fourth phase of the UP Assembly elections was held on February 23. Three more phases would be completed by March 7 and the results will be announced on March 10.
